To further stray from the stereotypical conventions of shooters, the title isn’t overly frustrating in difficulty by the second level. The difficulty scales appropriately with a moderate difficulty from the get go, escalating to frenzy-filled, sweat-inducing hardness in the game’s final levels. Finishing The Red Star is an accomplishment, and a satisfying one at that.
As fun as the title is, it is obvious, though, that the presentation also comes from 2004 – the character models are blocky, The Red Star license isn’t used to its full potential, it’s hard to care about the storyline and the game’s audio is easily forgettable. While the game controls quite well, as necessary for such a title, there are some nuances with the lock-on mechanic, often traveling to an enemy that the player doesn’t intend it to and positioning a player to attack in the wrong direction.
Also, unfortunately, The Red Star isn’t going to be a game suitable for everybody. The bullet dodging and frantic action provide a difficulty that may discourage players who aren’t accustomed to the arcade style the game so accurately emulates.
Regardless, The Red Star isn’t a massively long title by any means, but it’s a fun and challenging ride the whole way. Upgrades can be made to characters by spending points earned between levels, each player has an entirely separate attack and strategy style to encourage multiple playthroughs and it helps that the title is just plain fun for those who need straight, no-nonsense action. The concepts in The Red Star are by no means original, but they arranged in such a manner that the title is a must-have for arcade-style game enthusiasts and a fresh entry in the still strong library of Playstation 2 titles.
The Red Star is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB for Violence.
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